Dressing homes fit for fashionistas this London Fashion Week

Use made to measure shelving and back-lit displays for the ultimate designer dressing room

With London Fashion Week fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to focus on a wardrobe refresh. However, according to leading interiors firm Alexander James Interior Design, committed fashionistas are taking this one step further.

“Having the ultimate dressing room can be a life-changing experience for those who love their clothes and London Fashion Week presents the perfect excuse to give that dressing room an overhaul. Just because it’s a practical space doesn’t mean it can’t also be beautiful. The best dressing rooms should serve to inspire their users and celebrate all that is beautiful and fashionable each and every day.”

Start by having a good sort through all your clothes, shoes, bags, jewellery, etc. You don’t want to build a space that is going to be storing items that will never be worn. Reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy by Marie Kondo can be a huge help with this. Kondo gives tips on how to sort through your belongings and even how to fold clothing.

Next, think about what’s important to you. If you’re a shoe addict, think about how you would like them stored and displayed – do you want them on show or wrapped away for protection? Do you need lots of shelving for shoe boxes or do you prefer to have the shoes out of their boxes on display?

It’s important to think about lighting, too. Make sure the space is well lit, especially where you have the full length mirror for trying outfits on. Using back-lit shelves can be a nice touch here, especially if you have a designer handbag collection or hats to display. Made to measure shelving can also work wonders for those items.

Give some thought to space allocation for clothes as well. Do you have more dresses than separates? If so, you’ll need more full height hanging space. Be realistic about your level of tidiness as well. If you’re super neat then open shelving and hanging space can work well, but if you tend towards the messy then doors to hide away the mess come highly recommended!

Be playful with your style as part of the process too. Do you want your dressing room to be glamorous and glitzy, sleek and cotemporary, or vintage inspired? Shape the space and the items on display to fit your preferred style.

When it comes to practical touches, drawers can be a great help. Underwear, ties and jewellery can all be neatly stored in drawers, while a safe for expensive jewellery and watches may also be a good move. If space allows, a central island for more storage can also be very useful – or a central ottoman for sitting on while getting ready.

Of course, if you have oodles of space available then a ‘his and hers’ dressing room set is the ultimate luxury touch – and will certainly put paid to any arguments over the allocation of wardrobe space. It also means you have the pleasure of creating two distinctly different dress room spaces!

For more information, visit Alexander James Interior Design at www.aji.co.uk or call 020 7887 7604.